Machine for printing oil-cloth and the like.



LF. SIURROCK. MACHINE FOR PRINTING OIL CLOTH AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED F5816. 1916. 1

Patented Feb.13,1917.

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annsnr, ASSIGNQE 1'0 rnnn' LOLEUM COMPANY, OF KEARNEY, NEW JERSEY, ACORPORATION OF NEW CHINE FOB PRINTING OIIi-GLOTH A1510 THE LIKE.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 26, 1916. Serial No. 80,608.

printed is passed in the form of a long strip step-by-step under anumber of vertically movable printing blocks which are raisedperiodically in order to have the colors applied to them and are thenlowered to make the impression. The printing blocks are usually operatedsimultaneously, but in some kinds of work it is desirable to have one ormore blocks operate only once while the rest are operating two or moretimes.

The present invention relates to this feature,

and its object is to provide simple and efiective mechanism by which anyblock with which it is used can be held idle during practically anynumber-of cycles. To this and other ends the invention consists in thenovel features of construction and combinations of elements hereinafterdescribed.

While the invention can be appliedto various machines for the purpose,the embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings is designedparticularly for use with the machine described in Eisenhardt Patent No.47 6,135, dated May 31, 1892. Referring now to the drawing,

Figure 1 is a side view of a portion-of the machine, showing one of theprinting blocks and the mechanism for operating Fig. 2 is a side view,on a larger scale, of the preferred form of my invention.

Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of the operating cams and the gear foroperating the same.

Fig. 4 is a side view of the lever which constitutes one of the camfollowers used in the throw out mechanism.

The printing block 10 (the underside of which is the printing surface)is above the table or platen over which the oilcloth or other fabric isfed, and is supported at its ends by a pair of side members or standards(one of which is shown at 11) sliding vertically in suitable guides 12suitably mounted on the sideframes 13 of the machine. It is to beunderstood that the complete machine comprises a number ofprinting'blocks, each Patented Feb. as, rent.

with its own actuating mechanism, the latter being driven by alongitudinal power-shaft 14. While the block is in its upper positionand the fabric to be printed is at" rest, the color is applied to theprinting surface of the block by the usual means, not shown.

The block is raised and lowered through the agency of cams 15 at eachside'of the machine, fixed on a transverse shaft 16 which is driven fromthe longitudinal shaft 14 1n any convenient manner, as by means of bevelgears, not shown. The cams mentioned, cooperate with anti-frictionrollers 17 on plates 18 adjustably connected to the side-members 11 bymeans of screws 19. On the plates are fingers 20, which may be engagedby latches 21 on depending levers or arms 22 when the block is in itsupper position so as to hold the block in that position, out ofoperation. The lever referred to is normally held out of engagement withthe finger by a spring 23. When it is desired to hold the block out ofoperation the arm 22 is swung against the tension of'its spring just asthe block and slide are momentarily raised to their highest point (theposition shown in Fig. l of the drawing) by a dwell on the cam 15. Thelatch is thus swung under the finger. Then as the block starts todescend the latch engages the finger and so supports the block andprevents further descent.

According to my invention the operation of the lever or arm 22 tocontrol the operation of the printing block is efi ected automatically,the preferred mechanism for the purpose being shown in Fig. 2 of thedrawing, in which the same reference numerals are used to designate theparts shown in Fig. 1. The end of shaft 16, or a suitable extensionthereof, is provided with a pinion 24, meshing with a gear 25 journaledin an L-shaped hanger 26 depending from the stationary side bar 27. Thisgear is rigidly connected to, and drives, a cam 28, cooperating with ananti-friction roller 29 on a lever 30*, which is fulcrumed on thehorizontal arm of the hanger 26 andis adjustably connected to thelatching arm 22 by means of a link 31. It will therefore be seen thatwhen the rise on the cam engages the lever 30, the latching arm 22 isswung leftwardly, bringing the detent 21 into the path of the finger 20,thereby holding the printing block 10 (Fig. 1) in its upper orinoperative position, as shown. When the drop on the cam reaches theroller 29, after the cam 15 has lifted the block slightly so that thefinger 20 is clear of the detent 21, the spring 23, retracts the arm 22,thereby leaving the printing block free to descend.

The design of the machine is usually such that the printing block canrise and descend once in each rotation of the cam 15. In my improvement,which is intended to hold the block raised during one or morerevolutions of the cam (during which period other blocks, not shown, maybe in operation") the time during which the block is inoperative dependsupon the configuration of the cam 28, or its speed of rotation relativeto the speed of cam 15, or upon both these factors. The first involveschanging the cam, andhence requires a number of different butinterchangeable cams. I therefore prefer to use the same cam, and thenvary its speed as required, changing the gears to obtain the desiredsequence of operations. In this case I have provided multiple centers 32for the stud carrying the gear 25 and cam 28, and similar centers 33 forthe fulcrum stud of lever 30. Then merely by changing gears and shiftingthe fulcrum of the lever the desired operation can be obtained.

The effective length of the link 31 is regulated by means of the nut 34,threaded on the end of the link which passes through the yoke 35 pivotedin the top of lever 30. The link can slide in the yoke but is normallyheld with the nut bearing against the yoke by a rather stifi spring 36,thus affording a yielding connection so that if the latch 21 be swunginto the path of the finger 20 while the printing block is down thefinger can, when the block rises, cam the latch. out of the Way. Thentension of spring 36 is regulated by the nut 37 It will be understoodthat both sides of the machine are equipped alike, and that similarmechanism is provided for each block so that each can be controlledindependently of all the rest.

The cam 28 and the gear that drives the same are coaxial with each otherand are detachably connected together in an convenient manner to permitsubstitution of one gear for another as described. For this purpose thecam and each gear used therewith can be provided with registeringapertures 38, on opposite sides of their axes, as shown in Fig. 3, toreceive removable connecting pins or screws, not shown. The lever 30 ispreferably composed of two flat strips 30, Fig. 4, fixed on a hub 30",with the roller 29 and yoke 35 mounted between the strips.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificmechanism I herein described but can be embodied in other forms withoutdeparture from its lower the printing block periodically; means to holdthe printing block in raised or inoperative position; and mechanism,including a cam, for operating the last named means and permitting thespeed of the second-named cam to be varied relatively to Y the speed ofthe first, whereby the printing block may beheld in raised orinoperative position during such number of periods or cycles as may bedesired.

3. In a printing machine for the purpose described, the combination of aprinting block; means to raise and lower the same periodically; means,including a cam, to hold the printing block in raised or inoperativeposition; and driving mechanism for the cam, enabling the speed thereofto be varied whereby the printing block can be held in raised orinoperative position during such number of periods or cycles as may bedesired.

4:. In a printing machine for the purpose described, the combination ofa printing block; means to raise and lower the same; means to hold theprinting block in raised or inoperative position; mechanism, including acam, to actuate the last named means intermittently; gearing connectingthe cam with the block raising and lowering means to drive the cam inharmony with the latter; and means permitting change of gearing to varythe speed of the cam.

5. In a printing machine of the kind described, the combination of aprinting block; means, including an actuating shaft, to raise and lowerthe printing block; a movable to hold the printing block in raisedposition; a cam to actuate the last named means; gearing connecting thecam with the shaft to drive the cam in harmony with the block raisingand lowering means; and multiple bearings for the gearing, permittingsubstitution of gears to vary the speedof the cam relative to the speedof said shaft.

7. In a printing machine for the purpose described, the combination of aprinting block; means, including an actuating shaft, to raise and. lowerthe printing block; means, including a link and a lever to actuate thesame, for holding the printing block in raised position; a camcooperating with the lever to rock the same and reciprocate the linkperiodically; a pinion on the aforesaid shaft; :1 gear detachably andco-axially connected with the cam and meshing with the said pinion todrive the cam in harmony with the block raising and lowering means;multiple bearings for the gear and cam, permitting substitution of gearsto vary the speed of the cam relative to the speed of the said shaft;and multiple bearings for the fulcrum of said lever to permit change inthe position thereof in correspondence with change in the position ofthe cam.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JES FLEMING STURROCK.

